Cooling the Flames
by DuckShadow12517
Summary: Mockingjay Spoilers. Katniss has chosen Peeta. Prim never died in the explosion, she is just in a coma. With Katniss back in District 12, Gale spends all his time with Prim, trying to deal with his guilt. Maybe, Katniss had it right. Maybe Fire and Fire shouldn't be together. Maybe, all Gale needs, is a little bit of kindness, and a whole lot of forgiveness. PrimxGale one-shot


**Gosh, in honor of just watching Catching Fire, I decided to write a one-shot. Not exactly about the second book, but kind of an alternative ending to the series. If Prim hadn't died, just been put in a coma. **

**This is kind of a sad story, but it has a happy ending. I like those. Anyways, enjoy this story!**

**R&r!**

"Please." I paced, wanting to wail at the world for the unfairness of it all. I stopped for a moment, just long enough to grasp the small hand in my own for a second. I lifted the delicate palm, so frail, and brought it to my lips.

"Wake up." I whispered, eyes searching, begging for a sign, just a small stir that she was okay.

Those pale lids stayed closed, without even a flicker. The machine beeped, the only thing keeping her alive at this point.

It was my entire fault.

I was the one who had worked with Beetee on designing those bombs.

I was the one who had planned the idea; I just never imagined it going off. Or them using it in that sort of situation. On children.

On Prim.

It didn't matter anymore. Prim was in a coma, as she had been for the past two months. The blast almost killed her. I managed to bring her back in time, to be saved.

_If you can call this saved_, I thought bitterly. Unable to move, not breathing on your own. Everything you do is because of this machine. It not you keeping you alive.

Katniss hated me. She had made her choice, I already knew that. Peeta. He would keep her safe. He was the one she needed.

Strangely, I was ok with that. I always knew she would pick him. That helped lessen the blow. It still hurt, like she had shot one of her arrows through my heart. She was back in District 12 now, after a lengthy trial over her murder of President Coin.

I fought my hardest to keep her alive. The jury finally decided about a week ago that she was free to go. She and Peeta left that very day. She wanted to bring Prim with her, but she couldn't.

Since District 12 was basically destroyed, there were no fancy machines to help her sister. She needed to stay here. Until she woke up.

If she woke up.

Katniss had come to see me, one final time before leaving. She had this look of mute horror in her eyes, an understanding. I had almost killed her sister. She could never look at me the same.

That was the arrow she had fired at my heart.

She couldn't even hold my gaze, just clutched Peeta's hand like it was a lifeline, and spoke a few mumbled words.

"If she doesn't wake up in another month, you know what to do."

I snapped my head up, giving her the coldest glare I could. "That's not fair Katniss. At least have the courage to do it yourself. Don't run away from this."

Katniss met my steely gaze with one of her own. "I think it's only right." She said coldly, "you started it; I thought you should finish it too."

I flinched as if she had struck me. I nodded frigidly. I deserved those harsh words. I had basically killed her sister. One of the very people she had fought so hard to protect.

"I'm sorry." I murmured, all anger draining out of me. Katniss looked at me for a second, before her gaze darted away.

"I'm sorry too, Gale, but I just…I can't." Unspoken words hung between us, the silence answer enough.

I was the reason Prim was like this. She couldn't stand to be around me, knowing what I had done. I would always have to live with this guilt. Even if Prim survived, there was still countless others, hundred of innocent children who had perished because of my stupid idea.

I nodded miserably, and looked over at Peeta, "Take care of her." He gave me the slightest nod, a confirmation.

"If she wakes up though," Katniss added, voice rising a little. "Send her back to District 12. Immediately."

And with that, the one girl that has even had my heart, turned and walked away, ripping herself out of my life.

~o0o~

I have never felt so much pain. I thought I could bear it when Katniss left, but it was so hard. We had ended it so harshly, so suddenly. Years of friendship, years of us, gone in a matter of seconds. Everything was ruined.

I spent all my time with Prim, all my free time. I filled the hours by talking to her, telling her about how crazy her sister is, and how much I hated her.

Then, one day, two weeks later, only one week until I agreed to pull the plug, she twitched. While I was talking to her. Holding her hand.

"I can't do this, Prim. I sit here, everyday, talking to a girl in a coma. Your sister literally took a huge part of me. If you don't survive this, I have nothing. Absolutely nothing. My mom took my family to District 2.

Maybe I'll join them there someday. I never wanted to be a miner. Maybe I'll go work in the labs, with Beetee. We can invent things. Useful things, things that will help people. I never want to hurt someone again."

That's when it happened, a twitch of the eyes. A small squeeze on my hand. I stared at her small hands, enveloped in mine for a second, before jumping up.

"Doctor!"

The next hour was a rush, people rushing in and out of the room, people screaming. I was sent out, banished to a bench outside of the room, listening to excited shouts.

"She's waking!"

"Quick, someone get this!"

"Prim, can you hear me?"

I must have fallen asleep, because the next second, someone was shaking me awake. A kind looking nurse.

"She's asking for you."

My heart leapt, and I rushed into the room.

"Prim." I breathed, happy to see her bright blue eyes once again shining, with a spark of light in them.

"Gale." She smiled, white teeth lighting up the room. "Thank you."

I creased my eyebrows, feeling the guilt beginning to creep back, overtaking the joy of her waking.

"For what?"

"Your voice helped me stay alive. I wanted to slip away so many times, but then I heard you talking, and I realized I still needed to be here."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, tilting my head.

"I could hear you the whole time!" Prim explained excitedly. "All that stuff. Don't you get it? You helped me, now it's my turn to help you."

I still wasn't entirely sure what she meant. I helped her, but why did I need help?

"Gale, if I had died, you would've died of the guilt. You need to stop that. It wasn't your fault. I would never blame you."

"But, Katniss-"

"She was wrong, Gale, she was only upset because she thought I was going to die, and she needed someone to lash out at."

"So, you don't hate me?"

"I could never hate you." Prim's gaze was soft, and warm, full of love. There wasn't any trace of the anger and bitterness I feared she would have if she woke up.

I started to stay something, but then a nurse bustled in. "Visiting hour is over. Prim needs her sleep. You can visit her again at the hours posted on the door."

I gave Prim a smile, genuinely happy for the first time in months. I squeezed her hand one final time, and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you soon." I promised.

Prim smiled back, "Always."

As I left the room, I realized that maybe Katniss had it right. She and I, we were too similar. Fire and Fire? Bad idea, it would only burn hotter. She had found her perfect other half, the one who knew how to tame her fire.

I thought of Prim's warm blue eyes, her bright sparkling light. And how much I've missed it. The way she made my anger and guilt vanish in a matter of seconds.

Maybe. Just maybe, I could find someone sweet too.

And it could be real too.

**Sorry it's short, but I think it got the message across. A little PrimxGale? I think this would be a pretty cute couple, and also, I feel like Gale never got the ending he deserved. Boo. **

**Anways, I'll try and update my other stories one day, and until then, maybe this will tide you over? **

**R&r!**


End file.
